Reaching the unreached: Mali Red Cross teams go the last mile to ensure children get life-saving vaccines

Immunization is one of the most powerful tools we have in the fight against infectious diseases. Every year, vaccines save millions of lives and help to slow and stop diseases from spreading.But in Mali, West Africa, fewer than half of the country’s children have received all the essential childhood vaccines they need to live long and healthy lives—putting them at risk of deadly yet entirely preventable diseases such as diphtheria, measles, and tetanus.No child should be left vulnerable to disease simply because of where they live. So, with support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and IFRC, the Mali Red Cross has been working tirelessly over the past year to help close the vaccination gap—with a particular focus on helping the hardest-to-reach children who may otherwise slip through the net.Why do so many children in Mali miss out on vaccines?Parents in Mali face many different barriers to getting their children fully vaccinated.The first is simply a lack of healthcare access. Many remote communities—particularly those in Mali’s northern desert regions—live days away from their nearest health centre, making it difficult and costly to attend vaccination sessions.Since 2012, ongoing armed conflict across the country has displaced hundreds of thousands of people. For families on the move, keeping up with their children’s vaccination schedule can be challenging amid the upheaval—not to mention health clinics and workers can be forced to stop operating due to the fighting. On top of this, devastating flooding swept across Mali in late 2024—displacing even more communities and putting further strain on the country’s health system.And even when families in Mali do have access to health services, misinformation and harmful rumours about vaccines—for instance, that they cause sickness or sterility—can discourage parents from bringing their children forward for their jabs.What are Mali Red Cross volunteers doing to help?Mali Red Cross volunteers are well-placed to support immunization efforts because they are local, known and trusted by the communities they support.While they don’t administer vaccines themselves, volunteers act as an important bridge between communities and local health services. Every day, they go door-to-door in far-flung villages to speak to parents about their children’s vaccination status, recording data on those who have never received a jab (‘zero dose’) or whose who are falling behind (‘under-vaccinated’). This data gives local health authorities vital insight into where gaps remain.Volunteers then encourage parents to take their kids for their routine immunizations, providing trusted information on the benefits and informing people where, when and how to get them.“It’s not that communities don’t want their children to be safe and healthy. But often there is misinformation swirling and it takes the right person reaching them with the right knowledge at the right time”, explains Dr Sidi Touré, IFRC Programme Manager for the vaccination support project with Gavi.“We make sure Mali Red Cross volunteers are equipped with accurate health information to share with their communities. They very patiently and sensitively explain to families, in their local language, how vaccines have stopped other children from getting sick and how it can protect their children, too.”Household visits are complemented by regular community events and interactive radio shows, during which parents can call in with their questions for health experts and volunteers.And in some districts, where communities are particularly hesitant towards vaccines, volunteers work with local theatre troupes to stage entertaining performances which explain how vaccines work and allay people’s fears in a fun and engaging way.Taking vaccines to the peopleWhen volunteers identify a large cluster of zero dose or under-vaccinated children in a remote area, Mali Red Cross coordinates with the nearest health centre to take vaccines directly to families in two main ways:Outreach sites: typically for communities within 5-10km of a health facility, volunteers accompany and help transport health workers with vaccine carriers to run vaccination sessions—often tied to community events or market days to reach as many people as possible.Mobile clinics: for remote, hard-to-reach areas or displaced and nomadic populations, mobile teams travel out to set up temporary vaccination points. These missions require careful planning to navigate tough terrain, ensure security, and maintain the cold chain so vaccines stay effective.In both cases, the role of Mali Red Cross volunteers is crucial. Their community engagement efforts raise awareness about when and where the sessions will take place and generate demand for the vaccines. This means that when health workers arrive with the jabs, families are ready and eager to vaccinate their children.“Previously, many families did not understand the importance of vaccination. But thanks to the explanations and regular visits of Mali Red Cross volunteers, almost everyone in our village now supports it. Today, women regularly bring their children to get vaccinated whenever the vaccination officer visits the village,” says Issa Souleymane, Head of Goundjougoufouga village in Sikasso region.Closing the vaccine gapIn the past year, Mali Red Cross volunteers have identified more than 30,000 zero-dose and more than 17,000 under-vaccinated children, supporting the vast majority to be vaccinated by local health workers.These figures may seem modest, but they represent some of the highest-risk children who would otherwise have remained invisible to, and unreached by, local health authorities—leaving them vulnerable to entirely preventable diseases. Reaching these last-mile communities also helps prevent outbreaks and protects the wider population.“The arrival of the Red Cross to support routine vaccinations has been truly beneficial. Firstly, the district knows which children are under-vaccinated or unvaccinated. Through volunteers’ activities, vaccination indicators have improved with their support to outreach sites and mobile teams. The project contributed to us exceeding our Penta3 coverage targets in 2024, leading to a drastic reduction in the number of under-vaccinated children in the district,” explains Dr Daou Dassoun, Head of Sagabari Health District in Mali’s southern Sikasso region.Building local, long-term immunization capacitySupport from IFRC and Gavi is helping Mali Red Cross and local health authorities in Mali to improve their immunization services in the long term.With more comprehensive data, improved coordination, and more effective planning of immunization activities and strategies, they’re able to better serve hard-to-reach populations and make sure no child is left behind.“Through this project with IFRC and Gavi, Mali Red Cross has been able to significantly improve our capacity in vaccination support, for example through the recruitment and training of more than 400 community volunteers. Our teams are now closely coordinating with the Ministry of Health on vaccination activities at all levels and are embedded in local health structures,” explains Dr Wiri Souara, Head of Health Department at Mali Red Cross.Even after the vaccine support project ends, Mali Red Cross volunteers will remain by their communities’ side—encouraging parents, supporting local health services, and making sure children continue to get the vaccines they need.Because every child, no matter where they live, deserves the chance to grow up healthy and safe.-------------------------------------------------The activities featured in this article were made possible thanks to IFRC’s partnership with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.Together, we are working with Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in five countries to ensure that children—particularly zero-dose and under-vaccinated children—receive the vaccines they need to live long and healthy lives safe from preventable diseases.

Africa Zero Hunger campaign: The post-aid approach to food insecurity

Food insecurity is an escalating crisis on the African continent. Many of its most vulnerable people are reliant on emergency aid, which does little to address the systemic causes of widespread hunger.For Pierre Kremer, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Regional office, Deputy Regional Director, the Africa Zero Hunger campaign represents something completely different: a shift from short-term fixes to investment in long-term solutions.Solutions backed by local knowledgeWith 48 Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies, more than 16,000 local branches, and more than 16 million volunteers deeply embedded in communities, Kremer and his colleagues have a unique vantage point on how hunger is lived and solved in Africa.When Kremer talks about tackling food insecurity, he doesn’t start with aid shipments or top-down plans. He starts with people.“The goal is to give a voice to communities that are well placed to ‘engineer’ or co-create solutions to meet their multifaceted needs based on their local knowledge,” he explains.In this way, the Africa Zero Hunger campaign represents a “solutions bank”, a growing collection of proven, community-led initiatives that show what works against food insecurity on the ground. From livestock sharing schemes in Rwanda to Mother’s Clubs in Nigeria, these solutions are practical, replicable, and already changing lives.“This campaign reflects a post-aid approach, focusing on durable solutions generated by the impacted communities themselves,” says Kremer.Building a coalition of the willingBut for these local solutions to move beyond a single village or district, they need more than recognition. They need investment, partnerships, and political will.“The objective is to create a coalition of the willing, from local communities to national governments and global actors, working alongside African institutions, the private sector, and UN agencies to ramp up efforts toward Zero Hunger,” Kremer explains.The first phase of the campaign is already underway, with case studies, media assets, and community stories being documented across six priority countries: Kenya, Ethiopia, Mali, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria.The mid-term plan is to expand this into an online multi-agency platform. This digital hub would act as the home of the solutions bank, a space where the National Societies can deposit solutions, and where donors, investors, and partners can connect directly with them.What’s missing is not ideas, but the support to take them further. Creating a bank of solutions offers a ready-made platform for governments, donors, and partners to back what works, directly at community level. For Kremer, this will allow us to move beyond aid and build the foundations for lasting food security across Africa.Ways to get involvedYou can help take community-led solutions from one community to many. Donors can support Africa Zero Hunger directly and help turn local solutions into wider change. And if giving isn’t an option, you can still make an impact by sharing these stories, sparking conversations, and adding your voice to the call for Zero Hunger in Africa.Join the Zero Hunger Campaign:Africa Zero Hunger: United for durable solutionsConfronting alarming food insecurity trends in Africa: An expert’s viewFrom short-term aid to long-term strength: Launching Africa Zero Hunger

From short-term aid to long-term strength: Launching Africa Zero Hunger

On 19 August 2025, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) officially launched the Africa Zero Hunger: United for Durable Solutionscampaign — a bold, Africa-wide movement to change the way we respond to food insecurity.Moderated by award-winning journalist Victoria Rubadiri, the virtual launch brought together policymakers, humanitarian leaders, grassroots innovators, and partners who share a common vision: a future where the communities hardest hit by food security can become part of the solution. Click here to watch the official launch of the Africa Zero Hunger campaign and hear experts discuss what durable, community-led solutions look like in action.Why Now?The numbers are staggering. Over 282 million people are undernourished in Sub-Saharan Africa, almost one-third of the world’s food-insecure population. In 2024 alone, 173 million people faced acute food insecurity or worse, with women and children disproportionately affected.This is not simply the result of bad harvests or temporary crises. It is the outcome of deep-rooted, structural challenges: climate shocks, violent conflict, displacement, and fragile food and social protection systems.But the crisis also presents an opportunity. It’s a chance to reset the humanitarian approach. Traditional aid models are struggling to leave a lasting impact, yet across Africa, communities are already designing, leading, and scaling solutions that work. The Zero Hunger Campaign aims to accelerate and replicate those efforts.Watch this video to learn more about the ongoing hunger emergency unfolding across AfricaWhat makes this campaign differentThe IFRC and its network of 191 National Societies, including more than 16 million volunteers globally, are uniquely positioned to bridge local knowledge and large-scale impact."It represents a turning point,” said Pierre Kremer, Deputy Regional Director, IFRC Africa. “It’s moving from short-term food aid to lasting, community-driven change. For Africa, it’s a rallying call to end hunger by harnessing local ingenuity, climate-smart practices, and sustainable livelihoods."From mothers’ clubs in Nigeria that reduce malnutrition at a fraction of the cost of traditional aid programs, to integrated food and livelihoods initiatives in Kenya that combine climate-smart farming with savings and health programs — the proof is already on the ground.The launch of the Zero Hunger Campaign is just the first step. Over the coming months, we will be publishing a regular newsletter that will bring you:Progress updates from the six launch countries: Kenya, Ethiopia, DRC, Mali, Nigeria, and ZimbabweSpotlights on local innovators — from women farmers to youth climate activists to volunteers on the groundEvidence and impact stories, showing how durable solutions are transforming livesOpportunities to get involvedSign up for the newsletter by clicking here.Our goal? To reach 60 million vulnerable people in 15 countries by 2030 and to prove that durable, locally-led solutions can be scaled sustainably.This is Africa’s moment to lead, but durable change requires collective action from governments, donors, private sector investors, civil society, media, and the African diaspora.Join us. Share the vision. Invest in durable solutions.Visit the campaign website to learn more, explore stories, and get involved.

Confronting alarming food insecurity trends in Africa: An expert’s view

Africa faces its most severe hunger crisis in decades. As of July 2025, over 282 million people, more than one in five, are affected, with entire regions pushed to the brink by climate shocks, economic instability, and conflict. From drought-stricken Southern Africa to famine-threatened communities in the East, the challenge is vast, but not insurmountable.As Gilbert Phiri, senior coordinator for the Africa region Zero Hunger Initiative at IFRC, explains, ending hunger will take more than emergency aid. It will require durable, community-led solutions designed to withstand future crises and empower people to feed themselves for generations to come.In this conversation, Gilbert shares the latest hunger trends across Africa, what makes a solution durable, and why community ownership is essential for scaling sustainable change.Understanding the crisisQ: What are the most critical hunger and malnutrition trends you’re seeing across Africa in 2025?A: Africa’s hunger and malnutrition crisis is growing more acute in 2025, propelled by interlinked climate, economic, and conflict-related shocks. Without immediate and coordinated global action, including investment in resilient food systems and targeted humanitarian aid, millions more are at risk of chronic hunger and life-threatening malnutrition.The most critical hunger and malnutrition trends across Africa in 2025 are deeply concerning, with indicators worsening in multiple regions despite some global improvements.Q: Could you highlight regional differences or hotspots?A: Almost no region is untouched:InWestandCentral Africa, over 52 million people face hunger during the 2025 lean season—an all-time high.Southern Africa: Countries like Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, and Namibia are seeing up to 40 per cent of their populations in acute food insecurity due to drought, floods, and economic shocks.East Africa: Over 69 million people face acute food insecurity, half of the continent’s total undernourished population, according to the March 2025 update of the Food Security and Nutrition Working Group (FSNWG).Two other key Africa-wide analyses, from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification and the Global Report on Food Crises 2025 add that over 85 million people are highly food insecure in the East and Horn of Africa (including Sudan and South Sudan).In some countries, one in three children is malnourished. Somalia has the highest rates, but Chad, Zambia, Uganda, Kenya, and Guinea-Bissau also exceed 30 per cent undernourishment.Q: What do recent statistics reveal about the scale of the crisis?A: As of July 2025, more than 307 million Africans—over 20 per cent of the continent’s population—are affected by hunger. Childhood stunting averages 30.7 per cent across Africa, with wasting (insufficient weight relative to a child’s age) at 6 per cent.In some countries, one in three children is malnourished. Somalia has the highest rates, but Chad, Zambia, Uganda, Kenya, and Guinea-Bissau also exceed 30 per cent undernourishment.But addressing this crisis isn’t just about recognizing the scale of the need. A core aspect of the Zero Hunger Campaign is rethinking the way we respond to food insecurity.Defining durable solutionsQ: Durable solutions to addressing hunger can mean different things in different contexts. From your perspective, what are some of the core characteristics or principles that make a food security intervention ‘durable’?A: Durable solutions are those that are sustainable, systemic, and capable of withstanding future shocks induced by either conflict, climate change, or economic instability.Durable solutions require coordination, innovation, and inclusivity when addressing the root causes of hunger. They also build individual, community and agency resilience to food insecurity.Durable solutions must be:Sustainable and systemic – able to withstand future climate, conflict, and economic shocks.Locally led and scalable – driven by communities, designed for replication.Integrated – combining agriculture, social protection, and market access.Focused on livelihoods – diversifying income and building resilience.Q: How do these differ from short-term aid?A: Short-term aid saves lives in emergencies, but it’s temporary. Durable solutions tackle root causes, empower communities, and build systems that last. They combine health, education, agriculture, and economic development so that people can feed themselves year after year.An example of a project we’ve successfully replicated is the Village Model. In this project, households work together with support from the IFRC to improve food security, livelihoods, and resilience through shared resources, skills, and mutual support.Q: What makes durable solutions so impactful in these contexts?A: The attributes of a durable solution make it possible to transfer core methodologies and principles from one setting to another, adapting as needed for local success.An example of a project we’ve successfully replicated is the Village Model. In this project, households work together with support from the IFRC to improve food security, livelihoods, and resilience through shared resources, skills, and mutual support.By combining sustainable agriculture, savings groups, and social cohesion, it creates self-reliant villages capable of withstanding future shocks.Q: How important is community ownership when it comes to the success of these interventions?A: Community ownership and involvement are absolutely central to making zero hunger solutions both durable and scalable. When people design, manage, and adapt solutions themselves, they last longer and spread faster.In Rwanda, community-managed livestock schemes flourished because members reinvested in each other. In Nigeria, men began supporting mothers’ clubs after seeing tangible benefits for their households.Community-led approaches naturally foster replication and scale because they build confidence, local skills, and social structures that can extend successful models to new groups or regions. Strong community buy-in ensures that innovations are embraced, adapted, and promoted by local champions, creating a multiplier effect.What needs to happen nextQ: What support is most urgently needed to scale durable, community-led solutions?A:There is a significant financing gap—estimates indicate an additional $21–77 billion per year from public sources and much more from private sector investment is needed for food systems transformation in Africa.Current financial flows are insufficient to bridge this gap and reach all communities in need. Community-led models need multi-year, stable funding—not just short-term, crisis-driven aid—to allow them to take root, expand, and demonstrate impact over time.Other than that, we need enabling regulations, stronger government–community coordination, and expanded social protection programs, as well as training in climate-smart agriculture, organizational strengthening, and access to innovation and technology.The shift in thinking we hope to inspire all partners and stakeholders should move from asking: 'How can we feed people today?' to asking: 'How can we ensure people can feed themselves next year—and every year thereafter?'Q: If there’s one message for donors and partners, what is it?A: Sustainable, community-led solutions—not short-term fixes—are the only way to end hunger, and they require long-term, flexible investment and enabling policies to thrive.Too often, hunger responses rely on crisis-driven, one-off aid. While essential in emergencies, these don’t dismantle the root causes—poverty, fragile food systems, inequitable access to resources, and climate shocks.Durable, locally rooted approaches have already proven they can work, but they remain under-resourced and constrained by rigid funding cycles or policy barriers.The shift in thinking we hope to inspire all partners and stakeholders should move from asking:“How can we feed people today?”to asking:“How can we ensure people can feed themselves next year—and every year thereafter?”Join us in ending food insecurity in Africa. Explore the Africa Zero Hunger Campaign, share our stories, and be part of building resilient, self-reliant communities.

Mali: Complex Emergency

Mali faces a severe humanitarian crisis as unprecedented flooding and ongoing armed conflict displace thousands, destroy homes, and devastate the agricultural economy. As the country grapples with this complex emergency, millions are left without basic necessities such as food and safe drinking water. Your donation helps us in making a meaningful difference for the 200,000 people supported by the Mali Red Cross in this response.

Mali: Complex Emergency

‘No such thing as a simple disaster’: Partnership to tackle complex food crises by addressing hunger on multiple fronts

Along the Niger River in Mali, Red Cross volunteers are helping local communities find new sources of water during dry spells when the river dries up and water for crops and livestock all but disappears.“There is water in the river only for three months,” said Nouhoum Maiga, Secretary General of the Mali Red Cross. “And the people there, most of them, rely on that water for their cattle.”As part of a pilot programme, volunteers help the communities dig wells and install solar-powered pumps that provide a continual source of water.In addition, the Red Cross collaborates with meteorological and hydrological services to get ahead of future problems – extreme heat, unpredicted dry spells or flash floods – with community-based early warning systems.As a result, says Maiga, local farmers have been able to quadruple their harvests. “Instead of just doing a harvest for one season they have been able to harvest four times,” he said.A complementary partnershipThis is exactly the kind of forward-looking, multi-layered response to complex challenges that will be strengthened through a renewed partnership signedon 29 May, 2024 between the FAO and the IFRC.The FAO and IFRC partnership aims to build on the two organizations’ complementary mandates and strengths at the local and international level in order to improve the quality, reach, impact and sustainability of food security and agricultural livelihoods programming. So far, the renewed partnership has been initiated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Niger, South Sudan and Uganda.The partnership is born from a growing understanding that durable solutions to today’s complex and long-lasting humanitarian crises require ever deeper cooperation among multiple partners from the community to the global level.“There is no such thing anymore as a simple disaster,” said Caroline Holt, the IFRC Director of Disasters, Climate, and Crises, speaking recently at an FAO-IFRC Global Dialogue on Localization held on 27 March, 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland . “Issues such as food insecurity are intimately connected to lack of access to safe water or reliable energy sources. All of these issues impact one another and so the solutions need to be equally integrated.”Solutions to food insecurity must also address the complex factors that impact local food production and they will require new and innovative resourcing strategies. The partnership between the IFRC and FAO, therefore, will also serve as a base for wider investment by other partners interested in supporting local innovation on food security and livelihoods.“Two-thirds of people experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity depend on agriculture as their main source of livelihood, yet only four per cent of humanitarian assistancegoes towards emergency agriculture assistance,” Dominique Burgeon, Director of the FAO Liaison Office in Geneva, noted during the FAO-IFRC Global Dialogue on Localization.“Food aid alone is not enough to address acute food insecurity without the support and protection of livelihoods, many of which are based in local agriculture”.Mali serves as a good example. In Mali, FAO and the Mali Red Cross are collaborating on cash transfers, supplies for farm and food production, and cooking demonstrations aimed at achieving good nutritional balance, among other things.“We work with those communities, to empower them to be able to provide for themselves even in the midst of ongoing conflict,” added Maiga, who also participated in the FAO-IFRC Global Dialogue on Localization.The case of Mali also highlights the critical role that IFRC member National Societies play in addressing complex, long-lasting crises. In Mali, the Red Cross works amid an array of challenges: unpredictable and extreme weather patterns exacerbated by climate change, instability and insecurity, loss of traditional livelihoods and food sources, and massive displacement of entire communities. Meanwhile, in many parts of the country,most international organizations have left due to a lack of security.“TheRed Cross has remained in the communities impacted by these crises ,” Maiga noted. “Why? Because the Red Cross is a community-based organization. Our 8,000 volunteers are part of the communities where they work.”The critical need for early actionSimilar challenges exist in many countries. With one of the largest refugee populations in the world, Uganda is experiencing numerous, serious climate challenges, as weather patterns become more unpredictable. In some areas, entire communities have been washed away in flash floods.In this case, collaboration between FAO and the Ugandan Red Cross has helped communities withstand heavy rains caused in part by the most recent El Niño Phenomena from September to December 2023.With funding from FAO, the Ugandan Red Cross took actions in ten districts of Uganda in anticipation of coming rains: disseminating early warning information, mapping flood-prone areas, and overseeing cash-for-work activities in which local people cleaned water canals or removed silt from tanks that help contain excess water.In other cases, the cash-for-work projects involved helping local communitiessafely manage crops to reduce loss once they have been harvested. Crops can be ruined if storage facilities are damaged by flooding or if the systems needed to store, transport and distribute them are disrupted.“It's clear that the increasing frequency, magnitude, and intensity of disasters are not only affecting human lives, livelihoods and property but also evolve into epidemics requiring strong investment in community level preparedness and response,” said Ugandan Red Cross Secretary General Robert Kwesiga.

Deadly heatwave in the Sahel and West Africa would have been impossible without human-caused climate change

The recent deadly heatwave in the Sahel and West Africa with temperatures above 45°C would not have been possible without human-caused climate change, according to rapid analysis by an international team of leading climate scientists from theWorld Weather Attributiongroup.In late March and early this April, extreme heat impacted countries in the Sahel and West Africa. The hottest temperature occurred on April 3, when Mali recorded 48.5°C. In Bamako, the Gabriel-Toure Hospital announced a surge in excess deaths, with 102 deaths over the first four days of April.Around half were over the age of 60 and the hospital reports that heat likely played a role in many of the deaths. A lack of data in the countries affected makes it impossible to know how many people were killed, however it’s likely there were hundreds or possibly thousands of other heat-related deaths.“Year-round heat is part of life in the Sahel and regions of West Africa," said Kiswendsida Guigma, Climate Scientist at the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre in Burkina Faso. "However, the extreme temperatures were unprecedented in many places and the surge in excess deaths reported by the Gabriel-Toure Hospital in Mali highlighted just how dangerous the heat was.“For some, a heatwave being 1.4 or 1.5°C hotter because of climate change might not sound like a big increase. But this additional heat would have been the difference between life and death for many people.”Climate change, caused by burning fossil fuels like oil, coal and gas, and other human activities, is making heatwaves more frequent, longer and hotter around the world. To quantify the effect of human-caused warming on the extreme temperatures in the Sahel and West Africa, scientists analysed weather data and climate models to compare how these types of events have changed between today’s climate, with approximately 1.2°C of global warming, and the cooler pre-industrial climate using peer-reviewed methods.The analysis looked at the five-day average of maximum daily temperatures in two areas: one that includes southern regions of Mali and Burkina Faso, where the heat was most extreme, and a larger area including regions of Niger, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Guinea, where temperatures were widely above 40°C.To investigate hot night time temperatures, which can be dangerous when the human body cannot rest and recover, the researchers also analysed the five-day average of minimum temperatures for the Mali and Burkina Faso region.The scientists found that both the daytime and nighttime heatwaves, across both regions, would have been impossible if humans had not warmed the planet by burning fossil fuels like oil, coal and gas, and with other activities like deforestation. Climate change made the maximum temperatures 1.5°C hotter and the nighttime temperatures 2°C hotter for the Burkina Faso and Mali region, and the five-day daytime temperatures for the wider region 1.4°C hotter.A heatwave like the recent one is still relatively rare, even in today’s climate with 1.2°C of warming, the researchers found. Across the wider West Africa region, similarly high daytime temperatures can be expected about once every 30 years. However, daytime temperatures like those experienced in Mali and Burkina Faso, where heat-related fatalities were reported, are expected around once in every 200 years.More common, more dangerousBut events like these will become much more common, and even more dangerous, unless the world moves away from fossil fuels and countries rapidly reduce emissions to net zero. If global warming reaches 2°C, as is expected to occur in the 2040s or 2050s unless emissions are rapidly halted, similar events will occur 10 times more frequently.The researchers also quantified the possible influence of El Niño on the heat, but found that its effect was not significant when compared with the influence of human-caused climate change.The study highlights factors that worsened the impacts of the heat across the region. The heat occurred at the end of Ramadan when many Muslim people fast during the day. The Sahel region has a large Muslim population and while high temperatures are common in April, the researchers say the relentless day and nighttime heat would have been overwhelming for many people who were abstaining from food and water.They also note that conflict, poverty, limited access to safe drinking water, rapid urbanisation and strained health systems likely worsened the impacts.Heat action plans that set out emergency responses to dangerous heat are extremely effective at reducing heat-related deaths during heatwaves. However, neither Burkina Faso or Mali have one in place. Given the increasing risk of dangerous heat in the Sahel and West Africa, the researchers say developing heat action plans will help to save lives and lessen the burden of extreme heat on health systems.Finally, the researchers say the Gabriel-Toure Hospital’s rapid reporting of heat-related deaths was a valuable illustration of the dangers of extreme heat that would have likely acted as an effective warning for people in the region.The study was conducted by 19 researchers as part of the World Weather Attribution group, including scientists from universities, organisations and meteorological agencies in Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Switzerland, Sweden, South Africa, The Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States.For further information, media may contact:Andrew Thomas, IFRC Senior Media Officer, Media RelationsMob: +41 76 367 6587

Africa's hunger crisis intensifies: IFRC warns against crisis fatigue

Geneva/Nairobi, 07 December 2023: In response to the growing hunger crisis across sub-Saharan Africa, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is amplifying its call to action amidst growing concerns of crisis fatigue. To this end, the IFRC has revised its funding appeal to 318 million Swiss Francs, now aiming to reach 18 countries. More than a year has passed since the initial launch of the Africa hunger crisis appeal, yet the needs continue to outpace support received. Originally set at 215 million Swiss Francs for 16 countries, only 59 million Swiss Francs has been raised. This humanitarian crisis, intensified by recurring droughts, El Niño-induced floods, conflicts and economic downturns, demands an immediate response to prevent widespread suffering, loss of lives and livelihoods. Around 157 million people in 35 countries across sub-Saharan Africa face acute food insecurity. Despite early warnings from African Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies, more funding and resources are needed. The Horn of Africa has been particularly hard-hit, enduring its longest dry spell on record with five consecutive dry seasons. In contrast, regions like eastern Kenya, parts of South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, and Tanzania experienced heavier than usual rains during the October-December season, leading to flooding that further aggravated the situation for those already facing acute food insecurity. This mix of extreme weather conditions, along with ongoing conflicts, has led to varied harvest outcomes across the continent. Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers are witnessing heart-wrenching conditions where many, including women and children, survive on less than one meal a day. Mohamed Omer Mukhier, Regional Director for Africa, emphasized the continued urgency: “In the past year, the dire need for resources in tackling the current hunger crisis has been evident with millions of people deprived of water, food and health services. While this crisis has intensified, it has been largely overshadowed by more visible crises over the past year. Considering its magnitude across the continent, we urgently call for expanded support to pursue our collective lifesaving and life-sustaining mobilization.” These countries are currently at the heart of the hunger crisis: Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Djibouti, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. African Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies have been instrumental in providing life-saving assistance to millions affected by this crisis. So far, they have reached 1.53 million people. Most of the aid provided has been water and sanitation services, reaching over 1.2 million people. Additionally, over 725,000 people received cash assistance and over 450,000 received health and nutrition support. This underscores the IFRC's commitment to transitioning from immediate relief to sustainable, long-term resilience strategies in the region. The revised appeal will focus on improving agricultural practices, fostering peace and stability and creating economic opportunities. More information: For more details, visit the Africa Hunger Crisis appeal page. For audio-visual material, visit the IFRC newsroom. To request an interview, contact: [email protected] In Nairobi: Anne Macharia: +254 720 787 764 In Geneva: Tommaso Della Longa: +41 79 708 43 67 Mrinalini Santhanam: +41 76 381 50 06

REACH initiative

Our Resilient and Empowered African Community Health (REACH) initiative, in partnership with Africa CDC, aims to improve the health of communities across Africa by scaling upeffective, people-centred and integrated community health workforces and systems.

National Society Investment Alliance: Funding announcement 2022

The National Society Investment Alliance (NSIA) is a pooled funding mechanism, run jointly by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). It provides flexible, multi-year funding to support the long-term development of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies—particularly those in complex emergencies and protracted crisis—so they can increase the reach and impact of their humanitarian services. The NSIA can award up to one million CHF of accelerator funding to any one National Society over a five-year period. In addition, bridge grants of up to 50,000 CHF over 12 months can help National Societies prepare the ground for future investment from the NSIA or from elsewhere. This year, the NSIA is pleased to announce that the following six National Societies have been selected for accelerator funding in 2022: Burundi Red Cross Kenya Red Cross Society Malawi Red Cross Society Russian Red Cross Society Syrian Arab Red Crescent Zambia Red Cross Society These National Societies will receive a significant investment of up to one million CHF, to be used over a maximum of five years, to help accelerate their journey towards long-term sustainability. Three of these National Societies (Syria, Malawi and Zambia) previously received NSIA bridge awards, proving once again the relevance of the fund’s phased approach towards sustainable development. In addition, 14 other National Societies will receive up to 50,000 CHF in bridge funding: Benin, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Nicaragua, Palestine, Panama, Rwanda, Sierra Leone. In total, the NSIA will allocate 5.4 million CHF to 20 different National Societies this year. This is more than double the funds allocated in 2021 and represents the largest annual allocation since the NSIA’s launch in 2019. This landmark allocation is made possible thanks to the generous support from the governments of Switzerland, the United States, Canada and Norway, and from the Norwegian and Netherlands’ National Societies. Both the ICRC and IFRC have also strongly reinforced their commitment, by allocating 10 million CHF and 2 million CHF respectively over the coming years. The Co-chairs of the NSIA Steering Committee, Xavier Castellanos, IFRC Under-Secretary General for National Society Development and Operations Coordination, and Olivier Ray, ICRC Director for Mobilization, Movement and Partnership, said: “We are pleased to have been able to select 20 National Societies’ initiatives for funding by the NSIA in 2022. Our vision and plans are becoming a reality. We see Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies operating in fragile contexts accessing funds for sustainably developing to deliver and scale up their humanitarian services. This is localization in action and at scale. It is particularly encouraging to see that the NSIA’s two-stage approach, with initial funds providing a springboard to help National Societies prepare for increased investment aimed at achieving sustained impact on the organization and vulnerable communities, is working. We hope to see many more National Societies planning and following this journey. 2022 will be remembered as a milestone for the NSIA. Our ambition is to maintain this momentum and continue to grow in the years to come. We see this mechanism as a valuable and strategic lever to support National Societies in fragile and crisis settings to undertake their journey towards sustainable development.” For more information, please click here to visit the NSIA webpage.

Mali: International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement strongly condemns killing of two Red Cross aid workers

Bamako/Nairobi/Geneva, 2 June 2022 The aid workers were on their way back from a field visit to the Malian town of Kayes when their car was attacked. Both colleagues sustained fatal injuries during this attack. Two other members of the team survived and are deeply affected by this tragedy. The area where the aid workers drove was considered relatively safe. One of the killed employees was a staff member of the Netherlands Red Cross, the other aid worker was a staff member of the Malian Red Cross. The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is deeply concerned about the worsening security situation in the Sahel region. This violence, and the specific targeting of humanitarian workers, makes it hard for Red Cross teams to provide the needed assistance to vulnerable communities in the region. The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement extends its sincerest condolences to the families of those killed in the 1 June attack, and to their colleagues and friends. Aid workers are not a target. For further information, please contact: IFRC In Bamako: Moustapha Diallo, +221 77 450 10 04, [email protected] In Nairobi: Euloge Ishimwe, +254 731 688 613, [email protected] In Geneva: Benoit Carpentier, +41 79 213 24 13, [email protected] ICRC In Dakar, Halimatou Amadou, +221781864687, [email protected]

Launch of ambitious partnership between IFRC and EU: a new model for the humanitarian sector

Brussels/Geneva, 30 March 2022 - An ambitious partnership between the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) launched today aims to be a new model for the humanitarian sector. In response to the increasing number of crises arising worldwide, the pilot Programmatic Partnership “Accelerating Local Action in Humanitarian and Health Crises” aims to support local action in addressing humanitarian and health crises across at least 25 countries with a multi-year EU funding allocation. The partnership strengthens mutual strategic priorities and is built around five pillars of intervention: disaster preparedness/risk management; epidemic and pandemic preparedness and response; humanitarian assistance and protection to people on the move; cash and voucher assistance; risk communication, community engagement and accountability. European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič said: “I welcome with great hope the Pilot Programmatic Partnership with IFRC, a trusted EU partner who shares our vision of implementing efficient and effective humanitarian aid operations worldwide. The funding allocated for this partnership reaffirms the EU commitment to help meet the growing needs of vulnerable people across some 25 countries, in close cooperation with the Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies. It also confirms our commitment to strategic partnerships with humanitarian aid organizations.” IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain said: “Longer-term, strategic partnerships are essential to respond to the escalation of humanitarian crises around the world. We must respond rapidly, we must respond at scale, and we must modernize our approach to make impact. We know that the most effective and sustainable humanitarian support is that which is locally led, puts communities at the heart of the action, and is resourced through flexible, long-term and predictable partnership. The pilot Programmatic Partnership allows exactly that.” The Programme will begin with an inception phase in several countries in Latin America, West and Central Africa and Yemen. The main objective is to provide essential assistance to those currently affected by humanitarian crises, the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate-related disasters and conflict and to prevent loss of lives and suffering. Investment is also made to ensure communities are better prepared to cope with disasters through the implementation of disaster preparedness and risk reduction components. Working closely with its National Societies, the IFRC’s global reach combined with local action, its long history of community-driven humanitarian work and its Fundamental Principles, make it the partner of choice for this Pilot Programmatic Partnership with the EU. Following the first phase of implementation, the Programme aims to expand its reach and include additional countries around the world with the support of more EU National Societies. Key facts The 10 countries of implementation in the inception phase are: Burkina Faso, Chad, Cameroon, Mali, Niger, Yemen, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama. The seven National Societies from the EU working to support the implementation of the inception phase are: Belgian Red Cross (FR), Danish Red Cross, French Red Cross, German Red Cross, Italian Red Cross, Luxembourg Red Cross and Spanish Red Cross. For more information In Brussels: Federica Cuccia, [email protected] In Geneva: Anna Tuson, [email protected], +41 79 895 6924

Programmatic Partnership / IFRC

The Pilot Programmatic Partnership was an innovative and ambitious three-year partnership (2022-2025) between the IFRC, 37 National Societies, and the European Union. Together, we supported 17 million people in communities worldwide to reduce their risks and be better prepared for disasters and health emergencies, while strengthening local humanitarian capacity across 25 countries.

Mali Red Cross

Ebola: Red Cross intensifies response amidst fears of regional spread

Conakry/Nairobi/Geneva, 22 February 2021 – Red Cross teams in Guinea and across West Africa are ramping up response efforts to contain a deadly Ebola outbreak. Red Cross volunteers and staff Guinea, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Senegal and Sierra Leone have stepped up surveillance and community sensitization efforts. To support these live saving activities, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has issued an international emergency appeal for 8.5 million Swiss francs. MohammedMukhier, the IFRC’s Regional Director for Africa said: “Ebola does not care about borders. Close social, cultural and economic ties between communities in Guinea and neighbouring countries create a very serious risk of the virus spreading to Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire and Sierra Leone, and potentially even further. “That’s why we are launching an integrated cross-border operation aimed at rapidly confining the outbreak to its current location—and swiftly containing any eventual outbreak beyond Guinea.” In Guinea, Red Cross teams in N’zérékoré were mobilized to conduct safe and dignified burials for two people who were killed by Ebola. They also disinfected a local hospital and started efforts to create broad community awareness about the return of the disease in the urban areas of N'Zérékoré and in Gouécké. There are an estimated 1.3 million people living in the health zone affected by the outbreak. The Guinea Red Cross and IFRC plan aims to support about 420,000 of them with a range of services, including community sensitization, community-based surveillance, water, sanitation and hygiene, safe and dignified burials, infection prevention and control, as well as psychosocial support. In surrounding countries, Red Cross actions will target an additional 6 million people. In Sierra Leone, a network 200 Red Cross volunteers in Kambia and Kailahun are now on high alert and are conducting surveillance activities. In addition, an alert was sent to the four other districts (Kono, Koinadugu, Western Area and Pujehun) bordering Guinea and Liberia, where an additional 100 volunteers are preparing social community awareness activities. In Liberia, in areas along the borders with Guinea, Red Cross volunteers are on high alert and are currently conducting awareness in communities. The most at-risk areas include Bong, Lofa, Nimba, Cape Mount, and Gbarpolu counties. Liberia Red Cross will be sending Personal Protective Equipment to the region. In Mali, Red Cross teams will provide services such as surveillance and community sensitization. The Senegalese Red Cross is beefing up surveillance efforts at border points, while ramping up community awareness activities. In addition to enacting community response, surveillance and sensitization activities, Red Cross teams are also concerned about the needs being created by localized efforts to limit movements in a bid to contain the outbreak. As a result of these public health measures, people near the epicentre are already in need of water, sanitation and hygiene services as well as food assistance. IFRC’s Mukhier said: “This outbreak is likely to complicate an already challenging situation. COVID-related containment measures currently being implemented have exacerbated food insecurity in the region and this may lead to the reluctance of communities to respect new preventive measures that are being put in place to contain Ebola.”